The Minister of Public Health, Andre Mama Fouda, has called on all stakeholders to unite against polio in Cameroon.
“If we synergise our efforts, together we can kick polio out of Cameroon. He made the remark at the official launching of the National Immunisation Campaign against Polio, and the Mother and Child Health and Nutrition Action Week, MCHNAW, in Yaounde.
The health boss called on the population to put hands on deck and ensure that children do not suffer again from polio.
Mama Fouda commended the efforts of health personnel while encouraging them not to relent during the vaccination campaign. He instructed them to visit all households, markets, schools and even churches. He entreated parents to present all their children from 0-5 years together with their vaccination cards for the exercise and called on local authorities to help in mobilising the population.
“All children from 0-5 years must be given Mebendazole, and all children from 6 months-5 years must be administered Vitamin A. With this, all the targeted children from 0- 5 years will be free from polio.”
On behalf of all the partners, the Head of the World Health Organisation in Cameroon commended the efforts of the country in the global fight against Polio and promised their unflinching support to the Government to make Cameroon and the whole of Central Africa Polio-free by 2015.
She revealed that, since the outbreak of Polio in Cameroon in October 2014, nine cases have been registered, saying the disease has been greatly minimised because of increased counteracting efforts.
“Polio cases have decreased from 99 percent in 1988, from an estimated 350,000 cases then, to 416 reported cases in 2013. The reduction is the result of the global effort to eradicate the disease. Though satisfying, more work needs to be done,” she added, calling on all mothers to respect the vaccination calendar in order to ensure the wellbeing of their families and Cameroon at large.
